The Impact of Curriculum Content and Community Support on Primary Schools’ Academic Achievement in Central Nyanza Region, Kenya

Abstract

Performance of primary schools in Kenya Certificate of Primary Education Examinations (KCPE) in Central Nyanza has been poor over the years. This has contributed to frustrations among parents, teachers, and community. This is because KCPE results are used for secondary school placement and other accountability purposes. The study sought to establish whether the curriculum content and parent/community support determine primary schools’ academic achievement. The study was guided by the Transaction Theory of Teaching/Learning. The area of study was Central Nyanza Region, in the Counties of Siaya and Kisumu. The study employed the mixed methods approach and was conducted using descriptive survey design. The instruments used to collect data included questionnaire, interview guides and observation checklist. The sample was selected using stratified. Data was collected from 136 schools where 136 head teachers and 493 teachers were respondents. The author interviewed 36 teachers. The unit of analysis was primary schools` teachers`. The data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Descriptive statistics, such as measures of central tendency and percentages, were used to analyse the data. The General Linear Model was used to test the hypotheses. The level of significance was 0.05. The study found that the curriculum content influenced achievement. Another factor which determined schools’ academic achievement was the parent/community support. The study recommended that syllabus coverage should be monitored regularly and the schools should be provided with adequate resources necessary for curriculum implementation such as classrooms. The community should also support teaching and learning in schools by encouraging their children to attend school regularly.